Here at College Dental Surgeries we can use clear aligners to help you achieve the smile of your dreams! This teeth straightening system uses a series of removable clear aligners and is ideal for those patients who cannot, or choose not to wear a fixed appliance.

In this month’s blog the team at College Dental Surgeries try to take the mystery out of clear aligners, with five things you should know before starting treatment.

You must wear your aligners for at least 17-22 hours a day.

In order to ensure the best possible results, you will need to commit to wearing your aligners for at least 17 hours a day. Ideally you should only take your aligners out when you are eating or cleaning your teeth. This helps to ensure that your teeth move in the desired way and prevents the teeth regressing which increases treatment times and affects the treatment outcome.

You may experience some discomfort.

When you first put the clear aligners in, they may feel strange, but you will soon get used to them. Your aligners may slightly affect your speech, but this will not last long. Each time you change your aligners you may experience some discomfort, but this should only last a couple of days.

You will need to take extra care with your oral hygiene.

Although easier to keep clean than traditional braces, you will still need to spend extra time on your oral hygiene while you are straightening your teeth with clear aligners. If you wear your aligners over unclean teeth it will trap food particles against your teeth, which will increase your risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease. It is important that you brush your teeth after every meal before you put your aligners back in and clean interdentally at least once a day.

Fewer dental appointments.

Unlike traditional fixed braces, clear aligners do not damage your gums and they should not break, which means that you should not have any unscheduled dental visits. You will need to attend every 4-6 weeks for a short appointment so the dentist can monitor how your teeth are moving and so they can provide you with your next set of aligners.

There are other options.

Not all teeth straightening systems are suitable for everyone. It will depend on the issue. The dentist will be able to advise you on the best teeth straightening system to meet your needs. Please do not be disappointed if the dentist says that you are not suitable for clear aligners, they will always have another option that will give you the smile you are looking to achieve.

If you would like to find out more about teeth straightening and clear aligners, do not hesitate to call College Dental Surgeries on 01622 752340and book an appointment today.